Chapter 43: Gaoyi Academy (VIII)

Chapter 43: Gaoyi Academy (VIII)

Jie Fangcheng was shocked.

Jie Fangcheng was left agape.

Jie Fangcheng's eyes first moved to Zhang An... no, Zhang Daoan's forehead.

Sensing his gaze, Zhang Daoan just smiled, "I don't believe in that."

"Ah? If you don't believe in it, why did you join the School of Buddhist Studies?"

Zhang Daoan replied, "I got in through a competitive exam."

Jie Fangcheng accepted this explanation instantly.

He never expected that in the previous instance, no one believed him when he voluntarily admitted to being from the Underworld, yet in this instance, someone saw through him before he even spoke.

"Teaching Marxist philosophy at a school of Buddhist studies... that's nice," Jie Fangcheng said, making awkward small talk.

"Yes. After all, religious beliefs shouldn't supersede universal values."

Jie Fangcheng remained quite surprised, "You really don't think this is all a bunch of mumbo-jumbo?"

The Underworld often receives visits from philosophers, who, upon their arrival, directly experience a kind of moral disintegration, becoming mentally unstable.

The person in front of him merely offered a slight smile, "I am a proponent of pragmatic philosophy."

In simple terms, it means engaging in philosophical discussions when it serves a purpose and adopting whatever approach is useful when philosophy doesn't suffice—very flexible.

This individual has been spouting seemingly nonsensical things since they entered the instance, yet at this moment, Jie Fangcheng realized that this person was, in fact, speaking the truth.

Zhang Daoan could tell what he was thinking just by his expression, responding with nothing more than a smile.

"There's no use lying in front of you, is there?"

While Zhang Daoan might not be familiar with the specific skills possessed by these public officials from the Underworld, from the first day in the instance, this person has been addressing him with the tri-syllabic "Zhang", clearly recognizing a lie at first sight and even knowing his real name.

Jie Fangcheng also smiled, "Indeed."

The two conversed as if engaged in casual chatter, with Zhang Daoan even inquiring, "What exactly happened in the Underworld?"

The issue of the "loss of the Book of Life and Death" transcended the mere disappearance of an item; it represented the loss of all the souls overseen by the Underworld.

Clearly, this was not a matter suitable for disclosure to outsiders.

Consequently, Jie Fangcheng could only vaguely respond, "Well, there was a theft, some things were lost."

Zhang Daoan nodded, suddenly asking, "The Book of Life and Death is missing?"

Jie Fangcheng: "…?!!!"

Zhang Daoan remained serene and unflustered, nodding upon seeing his reaction, "It really is the Book of Life and Death."

"How did you guess???"

"My knowledge about the Underworld is limited, but this item is rather famous," Zhang Daoan replied.

Jie Fangcheng closed his mouth.

Conversing with someone who seemed to have insight into everything was like revealing all your cards with every statement made.

Zhang Daoan glanced at the time, "What are your plans moving forward?"

"Eh?" Jie Fangcheng was momentarily stunned before catching on, "You're asking because you want to collaborate with me?"

"Yes."

Jie Fangcheng observed him.

Zhang Daoan paused briefly, then lowered his head with a soft chuckle.

"Manager Jie, it seems you might have a slight misunderstanding about me."

"What?"

"I find this game quite annoying and besides," Zhang Daoan leaned in closer, whispering quietly, "I'm quite weak, in desperate need of a teammate with a substantial combat strength value."

Jie Fangcheng gazed at him, his eyes, darker than those of the average person, resembled two pieces of obsidian, reflecting a magnificent light under the faint blue glow of the computer screen.

"Professor Zhang," Jie Fangcheng extended a finger, shaking it in front of him, "I don't appreciate teaming up with someone who constantly spouts nonsense. Please, find your way to the finish line on your own."

Zhang Daoan fixed his gaze on him before letting out a sigh, retreating to his seat.

"So, no hope then?"

"Mhm." Jie Fangcheng continued to focus on his computer screen, restarting a game of Minesweeper.

Zhang Daoan adjusted his suit jacket, stood up, and seemed to ponder something as he reached the door.

He turned his head to ask, "Manager Jie, may I ask you a question?"

"What question?"

"How do you plan to complete this game?"

Jie Fangcheng was candid, "I have no idea."

He added, "It's not something I need to worry about — it should be a concern for Director Wei and the others."

Zhang Daoan paused momentarily.

Under the eerie blue light of the screen, Jie Fangcheng's pale face looked both mysterious and terrifying, "In any case, if our class doesn't score 562 points in the next major exam, I will sack Director Wei."

He stated thus.

Rarely seen without a gentle and gentlemanly demeanor, Zhang Daoan's face displayed a momentary lapse of expression.

He nodded, "Alright, I understand."

With that, the man finally turned and exited the computer room.

Jie Fangcheng continued his game of Minesweeper, but it wasn't long before he encountered a GAME OVER.

"Damn," he muttered to himself, "how can someone be so mentally agile?"

.

Director Wei, who had been missing for nearly two days, reappeared after everyone returned to their dormitories in the evening.

An exhilarated expression was visible on his face as he surveyed the group of new teachers from about ten meters away.

"Apart from Teacher Zhang, the scores of everyone here have declined since the last time! The principal and I are both extremely shocked and angered! Especially concerning one teacher, whose teaching performance score is actually zero!! This is an unprecedented situation since the establishment of our school!"

Truth be told, had Jie Fangcheng not beaten up all these NPCs one after another, hearing Director Wei utter such words at this moment might have induced a fair amount of fear among the players.

However, at this juncture, hearing Director Wei say this, many players covertly turned their heads towards Jie Fangcheng, feeling that the big shot might just rush over with his stick to confront the NPC, who dared to mention his name so recklessly.

Everyone felt a slight murmur of unease brewing within them.

The big shot really is different from ordinary people; while everyone else is chasing after sharper and more potent weapons, just look at him. His stick is so unpretentious and plain, and the more you look at it, the more it resembles a handrail from the stairwell of the academic building.

Jie Fangcheng leaned against the wall, listlessly listening to Director Wei speaking.

Director Wei felt a surge of pride and satisfaction!

No matter how fierce this person with the surname Jie is, in Gaoyi Academy, it's not about who has the stronger fist; what teachers compete with is performance! It's about the students' learning outcomes!

If this person continues to exhibit this attitude and teaching level, he will soon be ostracized by the students.

If the students despise him, he won't be able to survive in the school.

Soon, this person will be expelled!

Director Wei sneered, "The teachers with poor teaching performance today will have to stay at the student dormitory's guardhouse! However, considering there are thirteen teachers in total, and that's a considerable number, the principal has specially arranged for three abandoned rooms on the first floor of the student dormitory to be everyone's resting place. Please, everyone, quickly collect your personal belongings and head to the student dormitory!"

Just as he finished speaking with a triumphant demeanor, avenging his big grudge, a voice emanated from the crowd, a voice he never wished to hear again in his lifetime.

"What if I don't want to go?" asked Jie Fangcheng.

Director Wei's voice spiked abruptly, "Don't want to go? You think you can just say no and that's it?"

"Yes, exactly." Jie Fangcheng rolled up his sleeves.

Director Wei: "..."

Director Wei took two steps back, glaring at him with gritted teeth.

"Teacher Jie, I must remind you that in Gaoyi Academy, resorting to hooliganism and thinking that you can become a qualified teacher just by using your fists, will not work! Gaoyi Academy prioritizes the students' learning. You allowed the students to score zero and still act so arrogantly; you will pay the price!"

"What price?" Jie Fangcheng asked again.

Director Wei: "..."

Director Wei paused momentarily, then swiftly resumed his swaggering demeanor towards the other players.

"Move faster, everyone! You must be in bed and asleep before lights out! Anyone who isn't asleep by midnight is violating school rules!"

Having said that, he turned around and left.

The players exchanged puzzled glances.

Yue Haiyang, who was a bit more familiar with Jie Fangcheng, sought his opinion at this time: "Brother Jie, Brother Jie, are you going to stay at the student dormitory?"

"No." Jie Fangcheng responded crisply and unequivocally, then yawned and returned to his room.

While Yue Haiyang was still in a dilemma, Tong Xinxin snorted derisively from afar.

"Director Wei is right, one cannot pass this instance merely with brute force. The clearance condition for this instance is a student test score of 562 points, not a competition of who has the harder fist."

After speaking, Tong Xinxin turned to head back to her dormitory to pack up her belongings.

She was definitely going to visit the student dormitory area; given the current scenario in this instance, understanding the students seemed to be a vital key to clearing the level.

But just then, the door of Jie Fangcheng opened again. He was still holding that stick, leisurely walking forward with a seemingly half-awake demeanor, unclear of his intentions.

Yue Haiyang called out to him: "Brother Jie, where are you going?"

Jie Fangcheng responded languidly: "I'm going to find Director Wei."

"Huh? What do you want with Director Wei?"

"Some business..."

His voice gradually faded into the distance, and everyone watching felt that Director Wei might be in for more trouble than good fortune.

Yue Haiyang couldn't help but murmur to himself, "Why is Brother Jie going to find Director Wei? He wouldn't be planning to give Wei a beating as a pre-bedtime exercise, would he?"

The group broke into a cold sweat.

But when Zhang Daoan repeated the "clearance strategy" he had mentioned in the computer room earlier, everyone fell into a collective silence once again.

Yue Haiyang clenched his fists in indignation.

"If I had that kind of power, I wouldn't be staying in the student dormitories either!"

But, as they say, besides Zhang Daoan and Xu Xiuxiu... Xu Xiuxiu had shown leniency that day, hence she didn't administer a pop quiz to the students. Although she didn't threaten the students, the test scores in her class remained consistent with the previous ones, thereby averting this crisis.

The other players promptly gathered their personal belongings, clutching their pillows and bedding, and headed to the student dormitories.

As soon as they entered the dormitory building, someone whispered, "Why is it so cold in this building?"

Indeed, compared to the faculty dormitories, the temperature in this building was eerily low, akin to stepping into a morgue.

Despite the high number of students residing there, not a sound could be heard throughout the entire building, with only the occasional sound of running water indicating students freshening up.

Tong Xinxin surveyed the surroundings intently.

The student dormitories housed four people per room, but the principal allocated only three rooms for the teachers, accommodating just twelve individuals.

Had Jie Fangcheng agreed to come, there should have been thirteen teachers here, creating an excess of one person.

This wasn't an oversight by the NPC, but a deliberate act.

With one less bed and one extra person, how were the players going to allocate these sleeping spaces?

Especially on a night that clearly spelled punishment, no one would want to violate the school's rules and regulations, cramming five people into a room designed for four.

If there truly were thirteen people, they would inevitably have to choose to eliminate one person from the arrangement.

Danger seems to pervade every corner of this instance.

Director Wei's prowess, the security guards' guns, along with a principal who has yet to show himself... all these NPCs could potentially pose a mortal threat to the players.

However, at this moment...

Tong Xinxin paused, shaking off the image of that strange player from her mind.

She was sharing a dormitory with Tan Chen, Wang Xi, and Liu Hui, who soon remarked, "In fact, the level of danger presented by NPCs in this instance seems to have decreased for us."

The reason behind the reduction was clear to everyone, no words needed to be exchanged.

Tong Xinxin nodded, "But the difficulty of clearing the level hasn't diminished."

"Right." Being the seasoned player with the most clearances, Liu Hui might not have high scores or many items, but her insight was still sharp. "Insulting the underperforming students, eliminating them to boost the average score, this approach surely has significant drawbacks. It might not just be as Zhang An said, with dead students seeking revenge at night...

... seeking revenge.

So, I don't plan on using this method. What about you?"

Being an astute person, Tong Xinxin quickly grasped his implication.

Liu Hui was seeking a collaborative partner.

However, at present in this instance, powerful players like Jie Fangcheng definitely wouldn't take orders from anyone.

Zhang An also had strength, but his obvious cunning made him a less-than-ideal ally.

As for Liu Hui... it was highly likely that members of the Ronghua Guild wouldn't betray their companions, regardless of their capabilities.

Tong Xinxin nodded in agreement.

Intelligent individuals didn't need to state things plainly. The two quickly converged to analyze the strategies to clear the level.

"I think I understand why Zhang An secured the top position in math this time," Liu Hui began, "During the last classroom test, he deliberately raised the difficulty, encouraging students to allocate more points to math. By the next test, students presumed that they hadn't allocated enough points previously, hence they assigned even more points to math, catapulting Zhang An's math scores to first place. We can emulate this strategy to enhance the students' performance in the major examination."

Tong Xinxin nodded in agreement.

"However, being relocated to the student dormitories due to declining test scores might have unknown repercussions. Tonight..." Tong Xinxin once again conjured a puppet doll from her own internal organs and blood.

Her right eye, which had healed at some point, demonstrated remarkable regenerative ability, a characteristic feature of the "Bloodline Gift".

At that moment, Tong Xinxin removed her right eye once again.

In her hand, the eyeball autonomously split into two smaller, complete eyeballs, which she then affixed to the puppet.

"Tonight, I will monitor to see what transpires."

Liu Hui nodded, "Alright."

Being the one seeking collaboration, he too demonstrated his sincerity.

— a fragmented bone flute.

[Item: Miao Region Maiden's Affection·Rare (Damaged)]

[Description: A young girl from the Miao region gifted you her cherished flute, an instrument reputedly crafted from meticulously chosen bones. Accepting this token of affection binds you as her servant.]

[Hint: Each melody harbours its own purpose, and the one who plays this bone flute can bring the maiden back to the mortal realm. So, have you received the maiden's affections?]

[Function: Summon the slumbering maiden of the Miao region, who can manipulate insects to clear your path. However, she requires some reciprocation. What can you offer her?]

[Special Warning: This item is damaged, and the summoned Miao region maiden may have altered characteristics. Use with caution.]

As soon as the flute was brought out, the expression on the face of Wang Xi, the dorm-mate, changed.

"This bone flute..."

Liu Hui touched the flute and nodded.

"Yes, it used to belong to the guild president."

Before the president of Ronghua Guild met his end in the nationwide instance, he and all the managers in that instance spent a massive amount of points to transfer all their personal skills and items.

However, this transfer inflicted irreversible damage on the skills and items, akin to Ronghua Guild members transferring their items to the president in the game lobby without considering the cost.

Now, almost all that the members of Ronghua Guild possess are downgraded or damaged items and skills, which is why Liu Hui, despite having cleared so many instances, is still confined to the second-level instances.

The flute he holds now was once one of the most famous items of the Ronghua guild leader.

The Miao region maiden is a fifth-level instance character; the flute can summon a boss from within the fifth-level instance. Although temporary, this boss possesses significant power.

"However, now her power might... only be equivalent to that of a first-level instance boss."

Saying so, Liu Hui blew into the flute.

A wisp of blue smoke slowly rose from one end of the flute, quickly condensing in the air into a young girl appearing to be about fifteen or sixteen, adorned in peculiar silver-purple attire.

Upon emerging from the flute, the girl merely "glanced" at Liu Hui — she was indeed severely damaged, devoid of eyes on her face and missing a right leg.

The maiden from the Miao region quietly sat by the window, facing the moon, seemingly appreciating the moonlight.

"Miss Ah Mo, I'm counting on you tonight," Liu Hui said.

The girl named "Ah Mo" finally spoke: "You are his subordinate, both I and my insects will protect you. Rest assured."

The puppet doll also hopped energetically onto the table.

Although created from Tong Xinxin's own organs and blood, the tiny puppet seemed to possess its own soul, lifting its skirt hem and curtseying to Tong Xinxin atop the table.

"I will guard you."

The normally stoic Tong Xinxin now gently stroked the puppet's long hair, her gaze softening.

"Take good care of yourself."

Wang Xi watched the scene unfold before him, a hint of derision pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Like some other players, he perceived both the items and NPCs as mere data.

However, there were also those who, upon obtaining summon-type items, would treat them as pets, or even family, with the most extreme avoiding using them for fear of causing damage.

It was truly bizarre, weren't they just strings of data? Yet here they were, investing such genuine emotions.

Regardless of what the people in the dorm thought, the time for lights out soon arrived.

In the dormitory that was usually as quiet as the grave, the sound of numerous footsteps began to resonate.

—Indeed, as Zhang An described, it was a series of joyful and unrestrained footsteps. It was as if they were in a regular school where students returned to their dorms gleefully after a busy day of learning.

Players could faintly hear voices engaged in conversation.

"Ah, did you understand what the teacher explained today? I just, just zoned out for a moment, and when I looked up, my god, the whole blackboard was filled!"

"I didn't get it at all, maybe we should just educate ourselves when we get back."

"Stop joking about self-education, I couldn't understand what he was saying..."

"Did you get it, top student?"

"Uh, it was okay, I guess."

"See, see, I knew it would be this response, and then this person will score full marks in the exam!"

The chaotic footsteps and voices quickly approached, and at that moment, a voice resounded at the doorway.

"You guys are really dumb, in this situation, you should just go and ask the teacher directly!"

"Ah? Can we actually ask the teacher?"

"Yes! The teachers — aren't they in this dormitory —"

Creak

In the pitch-black night, the dormitory door swung open.

"Thud", "Thud", "Thud".

It didn't sound like the footsteps of humans, but rather as if something was bouncing on the floor, these objects... no, several such "thud, thud, thud" sounds gradually bounced from the doorway to the players' windows.

Following that, the sound of flipping through something echoed.

"Oh dear — this teacher has such poor grades! Not a single student in their class managed to score ninety points!"

A sudden tightness gripped Tong Xinxin's heart.

"Which one, which one?"

Several voices converged as one.

"This one... this teacher."

Thud, thud, thud.

Suddenly, all the sounds in the room converged by Tong Xinxin's bedside.

A repugnant odor mingled with the scents of earth and blood wafted in.

The entities seemed to be clustered extremely close, so much so that Tong Xinxin felt as if her breath brushed against them, bringing back a surge of nauseating smell.

"How could this teacher have such poor teaching performance? How did someone so incompetent get into a prestigious academy?"

"I don't know... Hey, look! Her eyeball moved! Did she hear us?"

"Teacher? Teacher, wake up, we have questions for you—"

"Why won't you wake up? Are you unwilling to answer your students' questions?"

"Ah, I know!" At this moment, an excited voice thundered over, rapidly moving to the desk, then exclaimed with even greater excitement, "There's a little doll here! It belongs to this teacher! She must be neglecting her teaching duties because she is too busy playing with this doll!"

"How can this be allowed! A teacher's duty is to educate properly! Neglecting her students just to play with a doll! This doll should be destroyed!"

"Destroy it! Destroy it! Destroy it!"

Tong Xinxin lay silently on the bed, and the doll in the students' hands remained quiet too, truly resembling a simple, unremarkable rag doll.

The students shouted excitedly for a while, but the figure lying on the bed, Tong Xinxin, showed no response whatsoever.

The students' voices, initially jubilant and animated, gradually quieted down.

Finally, after a silence that lasted over ten seconds, one student muttered boredly, "This is dull."

Soon, the surrounding students chimed in agreement.

"Yeah, this teacher allowed the students' grades to plummet, yet she feels no remorse at all! Look how soundly she's sleeping!"

"Exactly, such a bad teacher! Once I find out her name, I'm going to eat her up, bit by bit!"

"Oh, what's her name, though?"

"No worries, we will know soon enough—"

The students chuckled merrily, making a thud, thud, thud sound as they moved towards the door. Then, with a creak, the door was pushed open and shut once again.

Patience is required.

Tong Xinxin listened intently to the noises emanating from the corridor.

Although it seemed that the group of students had left the dormitory, there was a conspicuous absence of sounds indicating their departure in the corridor.

It must be a ruse.

Time trickled away, with no sounds piercing the still silence that engulfed the dormitory.

At this moment, a sigh finally broke the stillness within the dormitory.

"Ah... how dull."

"Yes, yes, yes, utterly dull."

"Let's move, let's move, Director Wei is coming for a room check soon! We need to hurry back to our dorms!"

"Alright, alright."

With these words, the door finally swung open once more, and then closed again.

The sounds of fading footsteps, a rhythmic 'thud, thud, thud', echoed from the entrance.

Tong Xinxin exhaled a sigh of relief.

Subsequently, she and the puppet simultaneously opened their eyes—

Before them, both Tong Xinxin and the puppet were confronted with a severed half-head floating in mid-air, the remaining half was situated at their feet.

The earlier 'thud, thud, thud' noises were produced by these half-heads moving about.

The half-head before Tong Xinxin gradually, ever so slowly, formed a wide, genuine smile.

This face, smeared with blood and soil, clearly belonged to a student who had died from a head-first fall, yet now displayed a sincere happiness.

"Oh my— Teacher, you're awake. Sorry, my dormitory is just here—"

Four voices overlapped, as the student NPCs standing beside each player simultaneously turned their heads, all fixing their gaze upon Tong Xinxin.

Tong Xinxin's body stiffened entirely.

In the next second, sharp, bloody spikes erupted all over her body.

—Flee!!

.

Student Dormitory Number Four on the first floor.

Yue Haiyang too experienced this very scene.

But what's even worse for Tong Xinxin... he sneakily cracked his eyes open just a sliver the first time the student NPCs opened and closed the door.

In Tong Xinxin's dormitory, there were four NPCs, whereas his dormitory housed over a dozen.

"Damn it!!" Yue Haiyang cursed loudly.

Even having cleared this level numerous times before, being surrounded by these bizarrely mutilated student NPCs would cause anyone's sanity (SAN) value to drop.

However, Yue Haiyang possesses a rather unique personal skill.

【Skill: The Feeble Little Flame】

【Description: They say each little flame is quite powerful, but this one is a bit different. It's such a tiny, tiny little thing!】

【Hint: Although the little flame is useful, it's prone to being extinguished with just a slight gust of wind.】

【Effect: Upon usage, you'll transform into a trembling, fragile little flame. Despite its fast speed, if it moves too quickly, the flame will be extinguished. Once extinguished, you will reappear with a reduced speed.】

While this skill isn't very effective in open spaces, it proves to be quite useful indoors, particularly in instances like this one, where the entire school resembles a desolate coffin.

Yue Haiyang rapidly transformed into a cluster of faintly glowing blue flames, swiftly squeezing his way out from the mass of NPCs, frantically dodging left and right in the corridor.

These NPCs apparently weren't too fast, but they had clearly set their sights on Yue Haiyang.

Yue Haiyang was chased up to the third floor without even a moment to catch his breath.

The little flame skill was indeed handy, but it consumed a great amount of stamina.

Unable to resist any longer, he reverted back to his original form, leaning in a corner and panting heavily with coarse breaths.

Damn... these NPCs are truly sinister!

How did that Zhang An manage to spend a night in this place?

These NPCs might be a bit slow, but their strength was terrifying.

Yue Haiyang also had a perception skill. Though not as precise as Qi Chanyang's ability to pinpoint the NPCs' location, it could still warn him that although a single NPC seemed beatable, facing a group gathered together was entirely beyond his capabilities.

He needs to find a solution...

With a "whoosh," Yue Haiyang abruptly rolled on the ground.

"Oh, there you are, teacher!"

Right at the spot he just rolled away from, a hand with sharp claws slowly rose from the ground.

A face he had just seen earlier now appeared before Yue Haiyang.

Although Yue Haiyang managed to dodge in time, it was evident that he perceived the danger a tad too late.

He clutched at his abdomen.

Where did this NPC come from...?

Soon, a medley of thumping sounds emanated from not too far away.

Gritting his teeth, Yue Haiyang transformed into a flame once more and dashed out.

Quickly, he realized it wasn't that the NPCs had found a favorable position to advance from... but with the passage of time, his own speed was diminishing.

This decline was gradual, but it seemed as though there was some viscous substance in the air, steadily sapping his strength and making breathing increasingly difficult.

Gritting his teeth, Yue Haiyang darted around the third floor, when suddenly, he heard a faint scream coming from downstairs.

Yue Haiyang froze momentarily, then it dawned on him.

He wasn't the only one in this forsaken place; there were others from two different dormitories!

The people in the other dormitories had been caught opening their eyes too!

Without a second thought, Yue Haiyang dashed downstairs.

Just as he reached the corridor, he saw Guo Siming being impaled in the abdomen by an NPC's claw before being flung onto the corridor floor.

The NPC took a couple of steps forward, seemingly ready to feast.

But soon, the NPC flared its nostrils and slowly turned its head around.

"Oh my, there's another teacher here!"

The little flame hovering in the air flickered slightly before quickly making its way to the first floor.

The first floor.

The doors of all three dormitories were wide open.

Those who shared a dormitory with Yue Haiyang remained with their eyes firmly shut, thus escaping harm due to their "asleep" status.

Yue Haiyang rushed into the dormitory with a frantic and pale face. In this instance, he shared the closest bond with Yu Hanfei, and they had agreed to help each other out in case of any emergencies before entering the dormitory.

These NPCs were powerful, but with Yu Hanfei's help, there might be a chance to fight back.

Yue Haiyang reverted back to his original form beside Yu Hanfei's bed and nudged him urgently.

"Yu Hanfei! These NPCs are numerous, but individually they aren't too strong! Help me out here!"

Yu Hanfei remained lying silently on the bed.

"Yu Hanfei!!"

Thud, thud, thud.

A sudden chill seized Yue Haiyang's heart.

He must have been a fool, really. Since entering this instance, a big shot had already defeated all the NPCs once, resulting in a generally relaxed attitude amongst everyone, without the usual mutual wariness that characterized their previous ventures into such instances.

This instance even divided them into language and math groups, fostering a camaraderie with communal living and dining for the past few days. It had been a long time since Yue Haiyang experienced such a relaxed and even somewhat heartwarming environment. He had genuinely believed that Yu Hanfei would assist him.

How naïve indeed!

Yue Haiyang stopped nudging him.

The viscous sensation in the air grew increasingly oppressive, prompting him to clutch his abdomen.

The speed of the little flame was no longer sufficient to aid his escape.

All or nothing!

Having cleared numerous levels before, Yue Haiyang was no coward.

He gripped his weapon—a peculiarly shaped pair of blades—in his hands, and with the "thud, thud, thud" growing closer, he swung his blades with a fierce determination, launching other skills as he charged out.

The first NPC didn't expect his counterattack, falling to the ground sliced in two by his swift strike.

But quickly, the halved NPC wriggled and gradually reunited with its other half, restoring itself to its whole form in no time.

However, Yue Haiyang had no time to pay attention to this development.

His dual blades moved with lightning speed, creating electric arcs that crackled loudly as they resonated through the first-floor corridor.

But it wasn't enough.

There were too many of them!

He might have been able to fend off one or two with sheer determination, but there were at least seven or eight here!

Far too many!

As he felt the looming approach of his demise, he couldn't help but wonder: just how did Zhang An manage to survive yesterday?

Was that person really that powerful, perhaps even stronger than Xie Fangcheng?

"Thwack!"

An NPC struck heavily against his blade, sending Yue Haiyang flying, before crashing fiercely against the wall.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Yue Haiyang's right eye could only make out blurred, overlapping figures in his foggy vision.

...It was over.

That was his prevailing thought.

Unexpected… yet not entirely unforeseen. Since stepping into this game, Yue Haiyang knew that a day like this would eventually come.

He was never a person who stood out; he led a mundane life before, and now in a game where the survival rate was low, it was natural that he wouldn't always be among the few who managed to stay alive.

It just surprised him that his end was this humiliating, with not even an inkling of how to clear this level…

The NPC before him displayed a gaze filled with greed and ravenous desire.

This group of students gathered around.

"Hee hee hee, teacher, why are you running away?"

"Teachers with poor teaching performance can't survive in the high-score academy, you know!"

"Let me go first! I am a student from class twelve—"

Yue Haiyang managed a wry smile, his dual blades hanging listlessly by his side, producing a barely audible sound as they touched the ground.

It's over…

Just then, a student NPC at the back suddenly let out a piercing scream.

"Ahhhhhhhh!!"

A spear of blood pierced through the student NPCs in front of Yue Haiyang like skewering lamb kebabs, before violently being flung aside.

Yue Haiyang's eyes widened in shock.

It was Tong Xinxin.

Her once white blouse was now completely drenched in blood, her left arm missing, and blood streaming down from her left eye socket.

Her tiny puppet, which had once been palm-sized, now stood half a person tall. Its cute dress torn in half, its eyes fixated on Yue Haiyang.

Tong Xinxin herself could no longer see, but she gripped the puppet's hand tightly, tuning into the sounds around her.

"Yue Haiyang?"

She uttered.

Yue Haiyang paused momentarily, caught off guard.

He had thought he had no strength left, but witnessing the blood-soaked fragile-looking girl before him, Yue Haiyang mustered the strength to struggle to his feet from the corner he was backed into.

"It's me."

"Have you seen Tan Chen?"

"Eh? No… I haven't."

Tong Xinxin's expression turned somber, her puppet silently leading her towards the next area echoing with sounds of battle.

Yue Haiyang gritted his teeth, redeeming two bottles of recovery elixir from the system mall, and handed one to her.

However, Tong Xinxin only shook her head, stating, "My abilities are quite unique, making it impossible for me to use potions."

Left with no other options, Yue Haiyang consumed one bottle himself, the wound in his abdomen healing swiftly.

He inquired, "Was it Tan Chen who provoked the NPC attack at your dormitory?"

Indeed, that young girl seemed not to possess considerable strength, with only a few successful game clearances, making her an easy target for NPC assaults.

But Tong Xinxin simply shook her head.

"No, it was me."

It was Tong Xinxin who triggered the NPC aggression, but when she was being pursued by them... Tan Chen and Liu Hui didn't hesitate to open their eyes and join the fight.

Initially, with the three of them joining forces, it seemed easy to repel these adversaries.

However, Liu Hui was the first to notice a problem.

"These NPCs, even when sliced in half, manage to reconstitute themselves, and our powers... are diminishing!"

"What should we do?"

Without hesitation, Tong Xinxin made a decisive call.

"I'll draw them away! Everyone split up!"

Dawn was still a long way off, and constantly evading them wasn't a viable option.

But no one expected that Tong Xinxin would indeed lure away these NPCs, risking injury as she methodically eliminated them, flushing their remains down the toilet.

Yet, before she could catch her breath, she heard Tan Chen's scream.

Tong Xinxin froze for a moment, then quickly realized the gravity of the situation.

In this building... they weren't the only residents in the dormitory!

Nor were those the only four NPCs!

Residents of other dormitories had also triggered NPC attacks!!!

Without a moment's delay, Tong Xinxin followed the puppet's lead, rushing to the source of the first scream. Upon recognizing Yue Haiyang, she sternly warned, "You can find a place to hide if you wish, and I won't blame you. But Yue Haiyang, I'm going to save Tan Chen now. If you dare trip me up, once I recover, I swear even at the cost of my life in this game, I will take you down first!"

After listening silently, Yue Haiyang lifted his eyes, glancing towards the end of the corridor.

There, two NPCs were idly wandering, seemingly on the hunt for suitable prey.

At this moment, having caught wind of the commotion, the NPCs gradually turned their heads towards the source of the noise.

Yue Haiyang chuckled, "Enough with the banter, what can you possibly see, being blind as you are? There are two NPCs ahead. Can you handle them in your current state?"

Tong Xinxin paused for a moment, then resolutely replied, "I can!"

"Alright. I'll accompany you to find Tan Chen. Rest assured, my vision is certainly more reliable than your puppet's."

Tong Xinxin responded with just a cold snicker.

But in the next moment, the two charged forward in unison.

.

The fourth floor.

Liu Hui covered half of his face with his hand.

The girl from Miaojiang "looked" at him, shaking her head, "You guys never cease to be foolish."

The already severely damaged girl was now reduced to a half, her body resembling a wisp of blue smoke.

Liu Hui smiled weakly, appreciatively waving to her before summoning her back into the flute.

Taking a deep breath, he first spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged froth.

Fragments of NPCs at his feet struggled to regroup, threatening to reconstruct themselves into whole NPCs again.

"They're really tenacious, aren't they?"

He muttered, his voice laden with exhaustion, seeming on the verge of giving up.

Actually, after the death of the guild leader, many in the guild had already abandoned hope.

Their unity stemmed from the hope the guild leader instilled in them, for who would wish to endure relentless cycles of life and death in a brutal, frigid world, where even players were constantly at each other's throats?

But in the next instant, he extended his hand, using his scant points to redeem a potion from the system.

After gulping down the potion, Liu Hui tightened his grip on the flute.

"But at the very least... I need to get Miss Amo out and pass her on to the next person."

Having said this, Liu Hui took another deep breath before hurling himself back into the fray with renewed vigor.